“For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable,” St. Paul says in his letter to the Romans (Rom 11:29 RSVCE). We are all gifted with unique and various gifts from God. And we are all called to use these gifts for the greater honor and glory of God and in the service of our neighbor.
What are your specific gifts? The bible lists gifts of teaching, service, leadership, generosity, exhortation, and mercy. Different ministry gifts are also listed: healing, prophecy, miracles, wisdom, knowledge, faith, distinguishing of spirits, tongues and their interpretation. St. Paul stresses that these different manifestations of the Holy Spirit gifted to us are “for the common good” (1Cor 12:7).
Called
As members of the one body of Christ, each of us has a part to play necessary to the wellbeing of the whole. It is God who “has arranged the members in the body” (and gifts we possess) to benefit the whole body (1Cor 12:18). St. Paul reasons that if the whole body were an eye, for example, how would we hear? Or, if the whole body were an ear, how would we smell, or taste? We must respect one another because none of us possesses all the gifts necessary to function alone on earth without aid of one another. Though some individuals possess “lesser” gifts—according to the world’s standards—their gifts are, in fact, quite necessary. It is also important to note, whether we realize it or not, that “if one part of the body suffers, all the parts [of the body] suffer with it” (1 Cor 12:26).
Gifted Design
God designed our interdependence upon one another so that we would be in communion with one another. Our gifts make way for our interdependence because, by ourselves, we cannot do it all. This need for one another mirrors our need for God. He does not want us to lose sight of Him because it is only through Him that we can attain salvation. If we were completely independent from others—not needing anyone else for survival—why would we need God? Though united we can accomplish many things, we still need God. Our imperfect nature—including our imperfect relationships with one another—creates our need for God and for a Savior.
Assess Your Calling
Assess how you are using your gifts in everyday life. Graced with free will, we can choose to either use our gifts or not. We can also choose to use them for good or evil. For instance, if we have the gift of prophecy, are we using it for occult purposes (evil), or are we using it for building up of the body of Christ? If we have the gift of tongues (like at Pentecost), are we using it to aid believers or call attention to ourselves? If we have the gift of administration, are we honest and trustworthy? Are we using gifts to lead others to holiness . . . or away from God’s Word? Does use of our gifts inspire others to faith and good works by the examples we set?
No Need for Envy
Don’t envy the gifts you see in others. You have gifts that others do not have. Celebrate that you are called to do what no one else can do in the exact same way. Again, take stock of your gifts and how you are using them to share and spread your Catholic Christian faith. If necessary, tweak how you use them. As humans, we make mistakes with our giftedness and the call of God for our lives. Frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation to make amends with God, redirect your path and get back “in the game” of life. What you do with your gifts matters. You are gifted and you are called because you are a beloved child of God. He wants the best for you on earth but, more importantly, eternity spent with you forever in Heaven.
